Illustrated by C. E. BROCK.
Jenny Ferguson, the only child of a retired admiral, is sent as wireless decoder to a Scottish naval base. On her arrival she meets an old friend of her childhood, Henry Corfield, who is apparently the skipper of a fishing trawler. Jenny, ignorant of the real object of the man's "trawling," calls him a slacker. In his turn, Corfield, who has a lively recollection of Jenny's impulsive tongue, reminds her of her nurse's saying, "Miss Jenny can never keep a secret," and says he will not shield her should she fail to preserve secrecy in her work. After a few days, Jenny finds that information is leaking out. Code books are lost and mysteriously replaced, envelopes lapped. Corfield attributes this leakage to Jenny's carelessness. In the nick of time Jenny has a clue and tracks down the criminal. The breach between the two friends, however, is a long time in healing, for Jenny does not learn till towards the end of the book that "Skipper" Corfield, on his humble little boat with her hidden guns, is one of the heroes of the war. The story ends with the coming of peace.
The Girl Scout
Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.
This is the story of a patrol of Girl Scouts, and the service they rendered their country. Colonel Norton announces that some silver cups, which he values as souvenirs of the time when he could win races and gymnastic competitions, have been stolen, and calls on the Boy Scouts to catch the thief, promising, if they succeed, to furnish their club-room in time for the reception of a neighbouring patrol. Aggie Phillips, sister of the boys' leader, hears of this, and at once organises a girls' patrol to help solve the mystery. In tracing the thief, the girls manage to entrap two foreigners, who, in all kinds of disguises, try to get hold of valuable papers in the hands of the Colonel. Meanwhile the boys continually follow up the tracks left by the girls, or are purposely misled by Aggie. The girls win the prize but arrange to join forces with the boys.
By ANNA CHAPIN RAY
Teddy: Her Daughter
Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.
Many young readers have already made the acquaintance of Teddy in Miss Anna Chapin Ray's previous story, "Teddy: Her Book." The heroine of the present story is Teddy's daughter Betty--a young lady with a strong will and decided opinions of her own. When she is first introduced to us she is staying on a holiday at Quantuck, a secluded seaside retreat; and Miss Ray describes the various members of this small summer community with considerable humour. Among others is Mrs. Van Hicks, a lady of great possessions but little culture, who seeks to put people under a lasting obligation to her by making friends with them. On hearing that a nephew of this estimable lady is about to arrive at Quantuck, Betty makes up her mind beforehand to dislike him. At first she almost succeeds, for, like herself, Percival has a temper, and can be "thorny" at times. As they come to know each other better, however, a less tempestuous state of things ensues, and eventually they cement a friendship that is destined to carry them far.
By CHRISTINE CHAUNDLER